Alexander The Great: A Military Genius

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Alexander the Great is considered to be one of the greatest leaders and military geniuses of all history. Alexander was born on July 21, 356 BC. He was the son of King Philip II of Macedon and Olympias. In his youth, Alexander was taught by Leonidas of Epirus to fight and ride. Alexanders father was concerned with training his son to become a future king. Philip hired Lysimachus of Acarnania to teach Alexander the basic skill of reading, writing and also to play the lyre. Lysimachus’s teachings inspired a love of music and writing for Alexander. Aristotle was also hired by Philip to be a private tutor for Alexander. Alexander was taught about philosophy, medicine, and scientific investigation. Aristotle tutored Alexander for three years and would remain in contact with Eventually Alexander turned his eye toward India. The Indian King Omphis of Taxila surrendered to Alexander after hearing of his campaigns. The Aspasioi and Assakenoi tribes resisted his rule but he conquered them in battles throughout 327 and 326 BC. Alexander eventually met King Porus of Paurava at the Battle of the Hydaspes River in 326 BC. Porus charged Alexander’s army with elephants and fought so bravely that Alexander put him in a place of power in his empire after his defeat. Alexander wanted to march across the river Ganges and conquer more lands, but his troops refused, exhausted and dwindling from the fight against Porus. Alexander persuaded him as best he could but they would not continue. He assented to their wishes by splitting the army in two, sending half to Susa by sea and marching the other half himself. Even though his campaign on India was over, he continued to subdue tribes he found on the way to Susa. The harsh desert, tribes that he fought against, took a large toll on his troops and by the time that they reached Susa in 324 BC, Alexander had suffered considerable

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